The Experiment
by miszxbrii
Summary: Ichigo has a choice to live as a male and as a female. What will she decide? And what will become of her lifestyle when she is challenged with love? GrimmIchi ShiroIchi Fem!Ichi HET YAOI


I'm such a liar. I should really just do what I say, but I couldn't help to post this. It is one of the new stories I am working on and I guess it can be a suitable replacement for my missing story, **Echo**. I still have a few other things in the work, since my muse decided to work for a bit. **Blindsighted** will be updated next for those who are waiting for it. Anywho on to the story.

**Warnings for Story**: Het, Yaoi, Gender-bender confusion, cheating, a little violence (maybe), and fluffy goodness.** This is a Fem! Ichigo/Ichigo story.**

****Pairings:** Grimmjow x Ichigo | Shiro x Ichigo | Reviewer's Choice x Ichigo**

Also this story will solely be written from what the reviewers want, meaning if you guys like, you can help Ichigo choose which path Ichigo goes down and what Ichigo does. It's a little different, but it might be fun. That will probably start on the second chapter if you guys want to participate, otherwise I'll just write it however.

**One: The Perfect Child**

She was a beauty, just like every other bundle of joy that graced their presence that day, though her parents knew that she was the most special in their eyes. She had coral hair that glittered in the overhead illumination. Her tiny hands moved about and stubby fingers grasped the much larger appendage of her father's. Though her lids were still unopened, they knew that she would have the most beautiful gems that would enrapture anyone. The mother knew instantly what she would call her beautiful daughter, **Ichigo**. She knew that Ichigo would protect those around her, no matter the trials or the tribulations. She was their daughter and they would love her no matter what.

Everyday had been a joy to see their baby girl grow and grow. There was admiration in their eyes as they watched her learn and understand the world around her. The large chocolate brown eyes would flicker back and forth, gazing at all the newness that surrounded her and Ichigo became curious about it all. Her parents loved how full of life and joy Ichigo was, how stimulated her tiny little brain became wit every unfamiliar object. She was a curious child and they knew she would do great things.

Days turned into weeks and months turned into years and before they knew it Ichigo started her first day of kindergarten. She was overjoyed about her first day of school and instantly made friends with another girl in her class. Tatsuki was strong-willed for her young age, already in the midst of karate and Ichigo wanted to be just like her. She begged and pleaded with her parents, wanting to kick butt just like Tatsuki and of course her mother, Masaki, agreed. It would be a good idea for Ichigo to be able to defend herself, especially if she wanted to protect other people.

At first she failed, but it never unnerved her enough to quit. She was always like her father, Isshin, never taking failure as an end. It only meant to get back on your feet and fight harder. Ichigo fought and lost, but in the process gained the knowledge of every move. Tatsuki won over her but it never made Ichigo stop. She kept going and going until one rainy day at the age of nine she finally won her first match. Her head held high and her cheeks scrunched up from smiling so bright, she called out to her mother who had been watching from the sidelines.

"I won! I won! Did you see, ka-san? I did it!" Masaki smiled at her, nodding with enthusiasm, knowing Ichigo was more than proud of herself. She had been practicing and practicing, finally achieving what she had set out to do. Ichigo beamed with joy before turning back towards Tatsuki who ruffled her short spiky orange locks. Ichigo playfully swatted the hand away before running off to join the other children in the dojo for the rest of their class.

Saying goodbye to everyone, Ichigo and Masaki waved, making their way out of the large dojo. Situated in her yellow and blue raincoat and boots, the child splashed in the puddles as she walked hand in hand with her mother, talking about all the moves and techniques Tatsuki had taught her. The large translucent umbrella shielded them from the rain, but Ichigo didn't seem to mind whether they were dry or wet as long as she could stay hand in hand with her mother. The flashing of car lights went pass as they walked down the wet sidewalk, Ichigo out on the curbside to protect her mother from any harm.

"Maybe you should walk on this side, hun. I don't want you to get hurt," Masaki pointed out.

"It's okay, mom! I'm the one that's supposed to protect you, remember?" The mother smiled down at Ichigo, squeezing her hand gently, feeling Ichigo do the same. The walked along, listening to the hard patters of water and the cars rushing by as they made their way home. After a while they came to a bridge that they usually crossed to get to their neighborhood. The speeding water in the river below looked forceful and cold and Ichigo could see the smidgen of ice freezing over. Glancing up, she caught sight of something in the distant, standing at the bank and leaning over the river. It was only a silhouette, but she could tell that it was a woman, making her release her hand from her mother's and step closer.

"Ichigo?"

"Mom! There's a lady over there. I'll be right back, I have to get to her before she falls in." Masaki's eyes widened and she dropped the umbrella, watching Ichigo rush over.

"Ichigo! No! Stop!" she called as she rushed after her. She could feel the soft soil give way under her short-heeled shoes, but it didn't stop her from quickening her pace. She couldn't let anything happen to her precious child and she had to stop the orange haired little girl before it was too late. "Ichigo!"

"I have to save her, Mom!" Ichigo continued to rush towards the figure, noticing that it was, in fact, a young woman huddling over to look into the river. The yellow rain boots that clad Ichigo's feet were covered in mud and she could hear the sloshing of wet dirt underneath her feet. When she reached for the woman, she felt something grasp her sleeve and she jerked, falling over. Within an instant the woman was gone and Ichigo's vision became blurry. She didn't understand what was going on and before she could figure it out, her vision flooded with darkness. It was only merely minutes before she awoke, her mind in a state of confusion. When her vision slowly started to settle, she was laying at the very edge of the bank, one of her rain boots missing and she felt mud caked against her face.

Looking up, she glanced around, trying to figure out what had happened. She remembered running after some woman and hearing her mother call after her. _Her mother._

"Mom?" she called out, slowly rising to her shaky legs. "…Mom!" There was no response and Ichigo started to panic. She backtracked, screaming out to her mother, but still no sweet voice responded. She saw something yellow in the distance and rushed over to it, only to stop dead a few inches away, her mocha orbs large and bewildered. "M-Mom?" Her stubby legs became heavy with fear and sadness as she made her way closer to her fallen mother. Her tear filled eyes stared down at her kaa-san and she dropped down next to her, seeing the blood being washed away from her mother's face. Reaching out, she softly shook the auburn haired woman, tears falling down her face. "W-wake up, Mom. We have to get home before dad worries." The wet body lay limp in the tall grass and all Ichigo could do was continue to shake and call for her. The speech started to become muttered as Ichigo buried her face into her mother's wet clothing and sobbed.

If only she had stayed away. If only she had listened to her mother. If only she hadn't let go of that warm hand then everything would have been okay. It was her fault. It was all her fault that her mother was laying there, bloody and broken. She didn't understand what had happened. She was just trying to hold up to her silent promise. _To protect._ All she wanted to do was help, but now, she had even failed to do that. Ichigo thought she wasn't fit to be "one who protects". Such a thing for a young child to feel, all because she couldn't even protect her own mother.

"…" Ichigo heard an intake of breath and slowly pulled away, hoping it was her mother. Chocolate orbs gazed down, accurately listening for another sign.

"_You can save her."_ Words ghosted throughout the soft wind. They were quiet under the heavy rain, but Ichigo could still hear them. _"You have a chance to save her." _The deep voice sounded mature but nothing like her mother's. It held some tone of authority and it sent shivers down the child's small spine.

"H-how?" she found herself say. Her mother needed to be there with her. Ichigo knew it was her fault, but she wouldn't be able to give up the most important person in her life. "How can I?" Her voice was starting to become strong again, but the strain of sadness was still conspicuous in her voice.

"_Give yourself to me_," it sing-sang, almost as if the voice was trying to mock Ichigo. The child gazed out in front of her, noticing a figure manifesting a few inches away. She noticed the petite woman standing there, a soft smile plastered on her smooth face. Her short black hair was down, one strand laying in-between her eyes, completely dry of fluids. The bluness of her pupils were smoldering and deep, almost terrifying but Ichigo sat there, strong, not showing any fear. The woman moved as if gliding on thin air and her eyes staying trained on the young child.

"W-what do you mean?"

"_Give me your identity. Your pride as a strong woman and I will save your mother." _Ichigo didn't understand what the woman wanted, but if it saved her mother than she would do anything. Glancing back down at her mother's body, she reached out, sliding a curl of wet hair away from the face. It wasn't something to think about. She needed her mother.

"…Okay…anything for her," Ichigo mumbled, tiredness distinct in her voice. Even if she had to die, she wanted her mother to be able to live on. That's what it meant to protect, right? Giving yourself in the place of others. Her younger sisters would need their mother around more than her and she would do anything to keep them together.

"_You are such a good daughter_," the older woman chirped, giggling at the outcome. "_I will grant your wish, but remember. Your identity belongs to me._" Ichigo watched the small woman loom over her, her blue eyes gazing into her very soul. She was hypnotized by the deepness and noticed the flicker of color, the blue brightening as it reveal itself. Ichigo's eyes started to roll back into her head until all that could be seen was the whiteness of her sclera. Her small body convulsed, the water splashing from it before going rigid and falling against her mother.

Rising from the two, the short woman frowned softly at the scene. She was happy to help, but hated that things had to become worse before becoming better. Reaching out, she grasped the air as if it was pliable and squeezed, watching a ball of red light form in her palm. Deep blue eyes watched the strong blue energy rise from the little girl and she let the redness in her palm spill out and mingle with the blue, exploding on impact and slowly receding back into the small child. The glow completely disappeared, leaving the grassy field completely dark again before the petite woman slowly started to dissipate. Her sighing voice lingered in the soft breeze as the glowing of blue and red came from a distant, the police finally reaching the scene from an anonymous call received.

"_You will become the perfect child._"

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><p>The next time Ichigo woke up, it was in the hospital, her father sitting across from the bed, his face distraught with worry. Her and her mother had been found and quickly taken to the closest medical facility. When she asked about her mom, her father had said that she was doing well and it lifted a weight off of the little girl's shoulders. Ichigo didn't know what it meant for her, but as long as her mother was okay she could care less about anything else.<p>

Days passed and she had gotten better little by little, as did her mother, both of them only sick from being in the cold rain for too long. No bruises or wounds had been visible on either of them and once they left the hospital they were as strong as ever. Well, except Ichigo. She was glad that her mother was safe and sound, but she worried about what the woman had told her that night and she wondered just what would happen to her now that she practically made a deal with the devil.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Eight Years Later<strong>_

"Kurosaki-chan!" Ichigo smiled when she heard one of her best friends call to her from behind. Looking over her shoulder, she saw the auburn haired girl running into the girl's locker room, her gym back hanging from her shoulder.

"Be careful, Hime-chan!" Tastuki's voice boomed throughout the large room. "Stop running around in here," she scolded. Orihime pouted, slowing her pace down to a walking stride. She came to stop next to Ichigo who chuckled and went back to undoing her school blouse.

"Sorry, Tatsuki-chan, I forgot."

"You always forget," mumbled Tatuski. "Remember what happened last time, Hime? You tripped and fell. I know you aren't clumsy, but still be careful."

Ichigo just chuckled, turning her attention back to removing her clothing. She slipped out of her blouse and placed it into her locker before going for her bra next. She wasn't that large, but she still needed some kind of support to keep her girls up. Ichigo's body type wasn't considered curvaceous as other girls, having a narrow waist and a muscular physique for a woman. Her breasts were a full A, though they seemed so much smaller without a push-up bra. She guessed it was a curse of being so athletic, even Tatsuki having the same problems. Ichigo didn't really mind. She loved her muscular legs and thighs, her tight butt and flat washboard stomach. Her arms were strong and sleek, almost as agile as a cat, which also helped when she had to get herself out of sticky situations.

At the age of seventeen, Ichigo Kurosaki, enjoyed her body, not fretting about it like most teenage girls. She listened to her friends bicker and started to unzip her gray school skirt, letting it drop to the floor. Hooking her fingers into her waistband of her undies, she paused, something not exactly feeling like it usually did. Her mocha eyes looked down and widened when she noticed the bulge protruding from her red underwear and she felt the urge to scream. Swallowing it down her throat, her body was frozen as she gazed down at what she didn't remember ever having. There had **never **been something like that hiding in her underwear before and it made her wonder if she was even dreaming. All of a sudden, she felt a gradual tingling sensation run across her chest and noticed that her breasts were slowly receding into her body and then, that's when she seriously felt the urge to scream, her sweet voice penetrating the already loud echoing room filled with girls.

Heads snapped her way, every voice stopped dead and girls all frozen as to what to do. Did Ichigo see a bug? One of those six-legged creatures that scurried and scattered? Or was it something worse? Like the bugs with large hungry perverted eyes and grabby hands that almost seemed to come in sixes. The ones that thought with their lower halves most of the time.

"K-Kurosaki-chan?" Inoue was the first to say something, always worried about her best friend. And since she was the closet she could see the evident fear in the young woman's face. When she looked down, her large gray eyes widened more as she tried to figure out what she was looking at. The growth in Ichigo's underwear was peculiar and Orihime had to find a way to hide this from everyone else while Ichigo was still in the frozen shock.

"S-she just saw a bug!" the longhaired girl shouted. "It went away though!" That seemed to get the girls out of their trance and everything went back to the previous way. Orihime made quick haste to help Ichgio back into her skirt and top, struggling with Ichigo's unresponsive nature. "K-Kurosaki-chan looks pale. I'm going to take her to the infirmary." She didn't wait for a accepting answer, grabbing her and Ichigo's belongings and dashing out of the room, the orangette's hand in hers.

Ichigo was in complete shock trying to understand what she had just saw in her panties. No woman she had ever seen even had something so abnormal. She had to be having some kind of nightmare. It just wasn't possible. Ichigo felt herself being pulled and slowly came out of her state of shock, noticing Inoue yanking her down the hall towards the medical room.

Once there, Ichigo sat on one of the beds, her eyes trained on her folded hands. The nurse was speaking to Orihime, curious as to why the two teenage girls came barging into her office. Ichigo was frightened to say the least, not sure how any of this was happening. Slowly closing her eyes, she tried to calm herself and think logically about what she had just seen. It was a trick, her eyes playing with her. It was the only possible way.

There was a soft giggle in the air, drifting closely to her ear and it made Ichigo snap her eyes open to reveal an empty and dark medical room. Orihime and the nurse were nowhere in sight and Ichigo wondered where they went.

"Inoue," she called, leaning over to see if anyone was there.

"_They aren't here, my child._" Ichigo jerked away from the voice whispering in her ear and she caught sight of a familiar woman standing at the edge of the bed. Mahogany eyes narrowed before widening in recollection.

"Y-you…you were from that time!" The woman just smiled, gliding her way to sit next to Ichigo on the bed. "…W-what do you want?"

"_I came to collect what's mine. Did you already forget?_" The orangette swallowed the lump in her throat before shaking her head. She could never forget that day for as long as she lived.

"I still don't know what you want." The woman just chuckled deep in her throat as her blue eyes glistened with mirth.

"_Still such a small child_." Ichigo scowled at the woman, no longer feeling the threatening aura of her. "_I am sure you noticed what has recently happened to you?_" Ichigo gazed at her, blushing before slowly nodding, wanting nothing more than to forget that scary ad confusing moment. "_Well…let's just say, you are my experiment,_" the gnome-like woman said with a smile.

"Experiment," Ichigo deadpanned.

"_Hmmm, yes. The moment I saw you out in the rain with your mother I instantly felt something inside of you_."

"Still don't know what the hell is going on. And who are you, anyway?"

"_Ahh! Of course, I should introduce myself. I am the one that kept your mother alive and didn't even leave as much as a calling card with you._" Ichigo flinched at the obvious that she hadn't been able to protect her mother that night. Masaki was still alive and well, but it never changed the disappointment Ichigo had in her heart. Her mother didn't remember anything of that night and Ichigo was more than glad of that fact.

"_I am Aphrodite, but I prefer you call me Rukia. I am the God of love, beauty and sexuality. As for what is going on. As I said before, you are part of an experiment. Now it may look bad from what happened to you_-"

"Uh, yeah it's bad." Rukia smiled at Ichigo before reaching for the bigger woman's hand and squeezing it softly.

"_I really never meant you any harm. I would have saved your mother even if you hadn't accepted to go along with my plan_." Ichigo's eyes went wide and jumped up from the bed, her body shaking with anger.

"Then why! Why the hell would you do something so cruel!" Ichigo's hands were shaking as she raised one to cover her mouth. "I-I thought I was going to lose my mom that night. I thought I had done something so horrible, not being able to protect her."

"_Ichigo, you did nothing wrong. It was all my doing. I apologize, but I needed someone, a human with no godly powers to perform this task._" The orangette shook her head, turning her back to the petite woman. "_You need to be unaware of what is going to happen. Unaware of the consequences like a normal person…that is why it had to be a human…had to be you._"

Ichigo sighed and turned back around, her brown eyes blazing with anger and curiosity. "What the hell am I going to be subjected to? I mean experiments have to be done by lab rats, which as you can see, I'm not." She couldn't deny the Godly woman. Her mother had been saved and Ichigo would never go back on a promise, but it was still annoying. Doing such a thing, just to experiment on her. She watched the young lady smile, patting the spot next to her. The teenager silently made her way back over and sat down.

"_I chose you for a reason. Right before you were born your sex was not decided, thanks to Artemis being drunk almost all the time. That woman, I'll never understand her logic!_" Ichigo's eyes widened at the outburst; trying to understand what Rukia was trying to say. The Goddess coughed, realizing she was going off track.

"…_Any who, at the last moment you were given a sex, though your chromosomes didn't match up. You have both male and female DNA in your system. Now that you are of age, I am able to give you a chance to choose your destiny. You will be two in one, a man and a woman, though not at the same time._"Aphrodite hummed, tapping her short-nailed finger against her chin. _"I guess when I put it that way; it's not really an experiment, more like a second chance._"

"…So what am I supposed to do?"

"_I want you to live life, Ichigo, as a male and as a female. By day you will be a woman and at night you will become a man. You will live two different lives and when your body is truly ready, you will decide which path you want to go down. Do you want to be a woman, something you've known since you were a baby, or do you want to live life as a male, something foreign and probably frightening at the moment. It is up to you, but you will not be able to decide until you have truly lived both lives to the fullest._"

"To the fullest?" Ichigo whispered.

"_Love, friendship, happiness, sadness, heartbreak. Life is not one-sided and you must not live it partially_." Ichigo gazed down at her hands, trying to take in all the information. It was deep and deafening and Ichigo didn't know if she would be able to do something so complicated. "_I know it's a lot to take in, love, but I'm sure you won't regret it."_

"A-am I allowed to tell anyone about this?"

"_No, it must be your secret. No matter what. Those who know you as a woman mustn't know you as a man and vice versa._"

"Is there a way to switch when I become what?"

"_Hmmm, I never thought about that. I guess I can give you a device, but you must be careful when you use it. If someone sees you change then there will be problems._"

Ichigo frowned, still not sure about all of this. It bothered her that she would have to hide such a thing from her friends and family. She was seventeen which meant that she was almost an adult and would be on her own soon, but she would never push the people around her away.

"_Don't worry, Ichigo. I won't let you do this alone. I'll be by your side if you need any help._" The small woman smiled up at Ichigo and the orangette found herself relaxing at the smile. It was still a lot of information to take in and her being a man was something she never thought about. She had times where she thought about "manly" things, but the thoughts went away as quickly as they came. To be able to understand and live both genders was both a blessing and a curse, but Ichigo would try her hardest doing both.

Sighing, she looked back over to Rukia before nodding. "Okay, I'll give it a shot. ...It's kind of weird, but it might be an experience. I still have a lot of questions though."

"_You'll be able to ask them later, but I should probably unfreeze everything before you friend gets worried. I will visit you again, Ichigo. Until then you will stay as you are, a woman, so enjoy it for as long as you can._" Ichigo nodded before watching everything start to brighten again and the world around her start to function probably. She could hear Orihime and chuckled at the confusion in the girl's voice. It was going to be hard lying to Inoue about what the girl had seen, but she knew that whatever she said, it would be easier than the actual truth.

Ichigo was going to live as a woman…and as a man, all for a little experiment.

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><p><strong>So...yeah...I don't know how I come up with with weird ideas. Anyway I hope you guys will give it a chance and I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. If you have any ideas about what you would like Ichigo to be involved in, just leave it with your reviews. See you next chapter.<strong>


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